A random sample of statistics professors was asked to complete a survey including questions on curriculum content, computer integration, and software preferences. Of the 250 responses, 100 professors indicated that they preferred software package M and 80 preferred software package E, whereas the remainder were evenly split between preference for software package S and software package P. Do the data indicate that professors have a preference for any of these software packages?

Identify what is wrong.

In the years following the end of World War II, it was found that there was a strong correlation, or association, between the number of human births and the stork population. It therefore follows that storks cause babies.

Identify what is wrong.

In the years following the end of World War II, it was found that there was a strong correlation, or association, between the number of human births and the stork population. It, therefore, follows that storks cause babies.

Several types of yogurt are sold in a small general store in New England. From a past study of customer selections, the owner knows that 20% of the customers ordered flavor A, 35%, flavor B, 18%, flavor C, 12%, flavor D, and the remainder, flavor E. Now the owner, who thinks that the customer preferences have changed, randomly samples 80 customers and finds that 12 prefer A, 16 prefer B, 30 prefer C, 7 prefer E, and the remainder prefer D. Determine if the customers’ preferences have changed from the last study.

Identify what is wrong.

In recent years, the numbers of cell phones and the number of pirates have both increased, so there is a correlation, or association, between those two variables. Therefore, cell phones cause pirates.

Identify what is wrong.

In recent years, the numbers of cell phones and the numbers of pirates have both increased, so there is a correlation, or association, between those two variables. Therefore, pirates cause increases in cell phones.

In a recent market survey, five different soft drinks were tested to determine if consumers have a preference for any of the soft drinks. Each person was asked to indicate her favorite drink. The results were as follows: drink A, 20; drink B, 25; drink C, 28; drink D, 15; and drink E, 27. Is there a preference for any of these soft drinks?

Identify what is wrong. The electronic cigarette maker V2 Cigs sponsored a poll showing that 55% of smokers surveyed say that they feel ostracized "sometimes," "often ," or "always."

A charity solicits donations by telephone. It has been found that 60% of all calls result in a refusal to donate; 30% result in a request for more information through the mail, with a promise to at least consider donating; and 10% generate an immediate credit-card donation. For a random sample of 100 calls made in the current week, 65 result in a refusal to donate, 31 result in a request for more information through the mail, and 4 generate an immediate credit-card donation. Test at the 10% level the null hypothesis that the usual pattern of outcomes is being followed in the current week.

Identify what is wrong. In recent years, there has been a strong correlation between per capita consumption of sour cream and the numbers of motorcycle riders killed in noncollision accidents. Therefore, consumption of sour cream causes motorcycle fata lities.

Identify what is wrong. In a USA Today online poll, 951 Internet users chose to respond, and 57% of them said that they prefer drinking bottled water instead of tap water.

Identify what is wrong. In a poll sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission, 1000 adults were asked to select their favorite vegetables, and the favorite choice was potatoes, which were selected by 26% of the respondents.

Refer to the data in the table below. The entries are for five different years, and they consist of weights (metric tons) of lemons imported from Mexico and U.S. car crash fatality rates per 100,000 population

If we were to use the sample data and conclude that there is a correlation or association between lemon imports and crash fatality rates, does it follow that lemon imports are the cause of fatal crashes?

A synthetic fiber used in manufacturing carpet has tensile strength that is normally distributed with mean 75.5 psi and standard deviation 3.5 psi. Find the probability that a random sample of n=6 fiber specimens will have sample mean tensile strength that exceeds 75.75 psi.